


A Minor Figure in the British Government and his Body Guard

by Space_Sapphik



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 1st year anniversary, Alternate Universe, Anniversary, Christmas Parties, Everyone Is Gay, Fake/pretend relationships, Fluff, Gay, Getting Together, I kinda shit on america/trump so i dunno be prepared, International Relations, Johnlock - Freeform, Lesbian, Lestrade is Mycroft's body guard really not much else has changed, Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Mycroft Being a Good Brother, Pining, Requited Love, Work Romance, bed sharing, body guard au, body guard!lestrade, christmas party at Sherlock's, everyone is very happy and supportive, johnlock anniversary, just like sexy thoughts, minor positions in the british government, mystrade, not sexual, secretly nice mycroft, slow moving plot, super gay, very gay, who isn't gay in this story tbh, working together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-01-31 20:08:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18598519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Space_Sapphik/pseuds/Space_Sapphik
Summary: Lestrade is Mycroft's bodyguard. They end up stuck in a room with a bunch of other people who hold 'minor positions in their own government' and their bodyguards. Some of Mycroft's friends in this group force him to think properly about his feelings for his own bodyguard Greg Lestrade.





	1. A Business Trip to Remember

Mycroft was bored, Mycroft was often bored, but right at this moment, he was more bored than he could remember being in at least a month. Mycroft was stuck in a meeting room, however, he was not in a meeting. Instead, he was there to accompany a number of high up government officials from his own government to a meeting that they had to be in. He was however in another room with a rather small group of men and women in the same position as him in each of their respective governments. He was there to represent the UK, Ireland was there, France, Germany, Italy, America, Australia, New Zealand, Serbia, Turkey, and Egypt. It was concerning a deal between the nations to at least attempt to keep Russia under control. However many of the Nations that had been invited had declined the invitation or had taken a neutral stance on the whole matter. Each nation had sent their head of foreign affairs, the real one, along with their Mycroft equivalent and a myriad of bodyguards, regular procedure. Each of the people in that room had a bodyguard with them, Mycroft had a rather nice man called Gregory Lestrade standing next to him. He had been shifted through departments by Mycroft himself after the ex-police detective had gotten close to Mycroft’s brother.   
The men and women around the table were smiling cordially at each other, this meeting was scheduled to run for an estimated nine hours, standard, but tedious. They had been sitting in the semi-uncomfortable silence that only people with their high level of intelligence could ever wish to have, uncomfortable, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that the others were uncomfortable. The American was already looking antsy, they had a different way of working to the rest of the nations in the room.   
“Sir, your brother is attempting to call you, would you like for me to decline the call and ask him to text?” Greg leant down to whisper in Mycroft’s ear.“Yes thank you, I will check it in a moment,” Myc smiled.“What was that about?” Haywood, the American, asked.  
“That was a personal matter, thank you for your concern Haywood, but it is none of your business and I am perfectly fine,” Mycroft smiled at the American, he was new, and the new president had appointed him, which given the history of his recent appointments was not a good sign.   
“I don’t think that you should be allowed to keep secrets,” Haywood replied, the Americans really held onto this idea. Mycroft sighed.  
“Okay if you must know I was asking my bodyguard to decline a personal phone call until after this meeting.  
“Well I don’t mind you taking the call, do any of you?” Haywood asked, he evidently didn’t believe Mycroft. The rest of the table shrugged. If it wasn’t for the fact that Sherlock could have been calling about anything Mycroft probably would have taken the call, in fact, if there wasn’t a new person who he didn’t know then he probably would have anyway.   
“That is perfectly okay Haywood I’m sure it can wait,” Mycroft feels his voice go tight for just a second before forcing it back into the casual sound that he was able to maintain most of the time.   
“Well, who was it?” Haywood asked.“It was my brother,” Mycroft replied cordially, the rest of the room knew about the existence of Mycroft’s brother.“Please take the phone call, it could be important,” Haywood was pushing this.“Fine, but only to make this line of questioning stop,” Mycroft motioned to Gregory. “Gregory would you mind handing me my phone,” “Not at all,” Gregory handed the man his phone and Mycroft took it with a smile to his bodyguard.   
The phone rang for a few seconds.“Hello, brother dearest,” Mycroft answered the phone, “Please be aware that I am in the work meeting that I told you I would be in,” Mycroft warned Sherlock, it was impossible that this phone was being wiretapped but Mycroft wanted to avoid being forced to actually say anything out loud that would give anything personal away.“Mycroft I need your help,” Sherlock’s voice came from the other end of the phone.“What’s happening?” Mycroft asked, there was a real concern in his brothers' voice.  
“John and I’s one year anniversary is coming up, and I don’t know what to get him,” Sherlock sounded almost frantic.“Your anniversary isn’t until Thursday, it’s Tuesday now,” Mycroft sighed.  
“Yeah, but I won’t get time away from him until them, except for now, because he is seeing his sister up north today and won’t be back until tomorrow morning.“Well, why do you need my help?” Mycroft really was thankful for the interruption to the uncomfortable silence.  
“I don’t know what to get him, I am completely lost, what is customary for a one-year anniversary gift? Do you know Mycroft?” Sherlock asked.  
“Calm down, you know he isn’t going to care what you get him,” Mycroft chastised.  
“Yeah I know, but, but I really want to get him something nice,” Sherlock complained.“Okay, what is he interested in?” Mycroft asks leaning back in his chair and smiling at the faces around him, some of whom are smiling at Mycroft having caught onto what was happening, evidently happy for Mycroft’s brother, not that they knew who he was.   
“He likes James Bond,” Sherlock replies, sounding like he was starting to calm down a little.  
“Okay you can get him something related to that, he would love that,” Mycroft smiles, he may pretend to dislike his brother, but in all honesty, he loved him to bits and was exceedingly happy that John and Sherlock had found each other.“But what can I get him?” Sherlock asked.“Box set, anniversary coz set actually, fifty years, I will find you a photo,” Mycroft turned to Gregory. “James Bond fifty year anniversary box set?” Gregory was well aware of the date and had evidently picked up on exactly what was happening.  
“Sounds perfect sir, might I suggest the music and video exchange in Kensington?” Gregory recommended.  
“Yes thank you,” Mycroft put the phone back up to his ear, “Music and Video exchange Kensington,” Mycroft said.“Thank you brother, farewell, try not to get too bored,” Sherlock replied.“Yes you too, refrain from calling him while he’s with his sister, go to Angelo's or something,” Mycroft recommended and hung up before his brother could protest Mycroft’s warning.  
“You said that that was your brother,” Haywood said the second he handed his phone back to Gregory.“Yes, it was,” Mycroft replied, his mind taking just a second too long to catch up, as he realised who the American president was and therefore the kinds of people he would have appointed.   
“Well, then why was he buying an anniversary present for a man?” The American accused Mycroft.“I’m sorry I don’t think I follow,” Mycroft didn’t feel in the mood to actually deal with this, he could instead just have a little fun.“Well, how was he buying an anniversary present for a man, if he’s a man?” Haywood pressed.“I would assume with cash, however, he may use a card, I would be surprised though he would want to keep it a secret,” Mycroft replied, feeling the American get angry, evidently ignoring the possibility that the man sitting across from him could have a gay brother, Mycroft wanted to chuckle, thinking about how he would react to Mycroft’s own sexuality.  
“But why is he buying it for a man?” Haywood asked.“Because his boyfriend is a man,” Mycroft replied, “I wouldn’t expect him to buy an anniversary gift for someone he wasn’t dating would you?” Mycroft shook his head slightly as he said this.  
“Your brother is gay?” Haywood asked once again looking more confused.“Yes,” Mycroft replied.“Oh for Heaven's sake, Haywood, Blackwood’s brother is gay, like many people, please calm down,” Charbonneau, the french Mycroft sounded exasperated, somehow able to keep up with Mycroft's almost constant fake name changes perfectly.   
“I am calm, I’m just surprised,” Haywood replied to Charbonneau.  
“Why surprised?” Vescovi, the Italian, asked.“Well, I didn’t think that I just, I didn’t really think about it,” Haywood stuttered, “Besides it isn’t really common, or right is it? Like they shouldn’t be in the army or anything you know,” Haywood looked around the circle legitimately expecting people to agree with him. The problem was that even though there were many people from countries where being gay was still illegal, none of them had a problem with it, far more often it was the government or the people of their country who cared.   
“No it’s perfectly fine and who shouldn’t a gay person be in the army who cares, I know plenty of gay people in many different armies,” Isaacson from New Zealand piped up, she looked completely done with the whole day.  
“Well I just don’t think it’s natural, besides it isn’t common so why should we pander to a group that isn’t even that big, like why would we fly rainbow flags in this room because no one here is gay,” Haywood assumed.  
Upon this statement, Sadik, from Turkey and Fortier, from Australia laughed, while Schäfer, from Germany, and Lannon, from Ireland, dropped their heads to avoid laughing.“What?” Haywood evidently hadn’t caught on.  
“There are thirteen gay people in this room,” Petrović from Serbia piped up.“What?” Haywood looked shocked. “Who?”  
“I am” Charbonneau raised a lazy hand.“Same,” Lannon agreed.  
“Ditto,” Schäfer agreed.  
“Me” Fortier piped up.  
“I also am,” Isaacson agreed, “or pansexual, but still,” “I’m trans,” Vescovi agreed.  
“I’m gay,” Mycroft made direct eye contact with Haywood.“Oh, but that isn’t thirteen,” Haywood replied looking even more confused.At this point the hands of the bodyguards from Turkey, France, the UK, Ireland, and Australia, all put up their hands.  
“Oh, but okay,” Haywood looked sheepish.  
“Don’t worry about it, just don’t be rude in the future,” Mycroft gently told the man.   
“okay,” Haywood replied slipping down in his chair.  
The rest of the morning went by fairly uneventfully as the different countries just talked about different policies and pieces of media that they had seen recently. Soon enough lunch rolled around. A woman walked into the room smiling at the different people.   
“Hello lovelies, I just need you to take a sheet of paper and mark which option you would like and then we can get your lunches to you, if we could also put down your drink orders that would be great,” The woman smiled at them, her accent was almost unable to be placed, it was a German accent, expected to see as they were in Germany, but it was well cloaked.“Thank you,” Mycroft smiled at the woman, as he took the card from her.   
Everyone around the table took one and the woman left, this process could take some time, or at least it did with politicians and that was what they were believed to be.   
“What are you going to get?” Fortier asked Mycroft, she and Mycroft's friendship had started when they first started working at around the same time.   
“The vegetarian option,” Mycroft ticked a box for vegetable pakora with salad, and wrote a simple order for soda water in the drink box, he wasn't going to drink, not at work overseas.   
“Same here, it’s always the best,” Fortier had been a vegetarian for as long as Mycroft had known her. “Greg?” She asked Mycroft’s bodyguard.“Oh um same here,” Greg agreed.   
Apart from those around the table who had to pick certain options for religious reasons, most of the table chose the vegetable pakora’s, it wasn’t that they were all vegetarian, at least not to Mycroft’s knowledge, it was just generally the best tasting option on these trips and it didn’t give anyone the meat sweats, this all held true except for Haywood, he ordered the burger, not a normal option, however Mycroft was almost certain it was added because of the new American President.   
“Hello, can I take your orders?” The woman collected the papers and took them away. “Shall we go sit over there?” Fortier asked moving their chairs away from the main table into a small circle in the corner and they sat to have a conversation.“So your brother and his boyfriend are having a one year anniversary?” Isaacson asked, Isaacson had met Mycroft and Fortier at the same time, and Isaacson and Fortier saw each other often seeing as the two countries spent a large amount of time with politicians talking.   
“Yeah, I’m really happy for him, not that I would ever tell him that,” Mycroft replied.   
“We know,” Fortier smiled.  
“Speaking of Fortier, how is married life, you must be coming up on a year now as well,” Isaacson asked.“Yeah, it’s great, I never thought it would happen. She’s so great, we actually got around to making that veggie patch, I don’t know how long it will last, but the lettuce that we bring inside has been making a really great bed for the cats,” Fortier smiled.  
“You guys are so cute,” Greg agreed, Greg was the only bodyguard that had come with their group, Isaacson’s had remained with the main group, and Fortier’s was flirting with the American bodyguard by complimenting his muscles.   
“Thanks, Greg,” Greg had been working with Mycroft for seven months now and had gotten to know Fortier and Isaacson pretty well.  
“How are you guys going Isaacson,” Isaacson had a girlfriend and two boyfriends, they had been living together for four years and they tied with Fortier for best relationship.“Good, pretty much the same as always, sorry my relationship is so boring,” Isaacson laughed.“No you guys are sweet,” Fortier replied.   
“What about you Greg?” Isaacson asked, “Do you have a special someone?”   
“Oh um, not at the moment, I had a wife, but that ended a couple of years ago and really nothing of note has happened since,” Greg shrugged as Haywood came to sit with them, it seemed that the people left at the table had been unable to entertain him.  
“That’s a shame, I’m really sorry to hear that,” Fortier squeezed Greg’s hand.  
“What’s a shame?” Haywood asked.“My divorce from my wife a few years ago,” Greg replied with ice in his voice.“I thought you were gay,” Haywood looked confused.“Bi,” Greg looked at Haywood with an incredulous look.“Oh okay,” Haywood nodded.  
“Blackwood, how’s your love life?” Fortier asked kindly trying to change the subject. This group always made Mycroft feel like a young teenager discussing relationships, but honestly, he didn’t mind it was nice to talk about things that only mattered to a few people as opposed to the things he normally talked about that affected millions of people most of the time.   
“Oh it’s as non-existent as ever,” Mycroft smiled rolling his eyes at his friend.“We will find you, someone,” Isaacson assured Mycroft.  
“You live in New Zealand, I think I’m good to navigate this on my own,” Mycroft joked.  
“Fine,” Isaacson smiled.  
“I have a girlfriend,” Haywood spoke without being prompted.“Oh lovely,” Greg replied taking over the conversation.“Yeah she’s great,” Haywood agreed.  
“That’s nice,” Isaacson agreed.“Hello, I’ve got your food,” The woman from previously came and handed out the food to everyone.  
Their entire group had the vegetarian option, save for Haywood.  
“Oh hey you all have the same meal,” Haywood pointed out.“Yeah we do,” Mycroft agreed.“There’s no meat,” Haywood pointed out again.   
“No there isn’t,” Greg replied, he smiled at Haywood, popping a piece of Pakora in his mouth and smiling.“Okay,” Haywood tucked into his burger and chips while the rest of them ate their salads.   
They ate quietly for a few moments before Haywood noticed another thing he didn’t understand.   
“Why are you eating like that?” Haywood asked to point at Fortier. Fortier cut her food into minuscule pieces before eating it slowly and chewing slowly.   
“What do you mean?” Fortier asked. The rest of the group was well aware that Fortier had had an eating disorder as a teenager. Her eating habits had never properly recovered and so now she ate in a way that was small and slow.   
“You are cutting it so small and eating so little every bite,” The American was still being blunt and overall very American.  
“It’s just how I eat, I dunno. Why do you take large bites, this is just how I like to eat,” Fortier blocked the question and continued to eat.“You can take big bites though, do you have a medical problem?” Haywood wouldn’t stop.  
“No I just like to eat like this it doesn’t really matter does it?” Fortier asked.  
“No I suppose not,” Haywood went back to his meal.“Is everyone flying home tomorrow?” Isaacson asked.  
“We are,” Mycroft motioned to Gregory and himself.“I am as well,” Fortier agreed.“I don’t know it’s all up to the boss,” Haywood chimed in.  
“Oh okay,” Mycroft nodded, it wasn’t unheard of for countries leaders to take holidays when in places and requiring staff to stay.   
“He said that he might have another meeting,” Haywood was evidently not good at national secrets and all the people in the circle caught on.“Yeah, did he say where or with who,” Mycroft made it sound like he was empathising.  
“Somewhere in Russia,” Haywood shrugged.“That’s going to be freezing, why on earth would you need to go there?” Fortier asked.“Dunno he said it had something about the 2020 elections, and some investigation,” Haywood shrugged.  
“Ah that’s always annoying when they’re so vague,” Isaacson agreed.“So you all get to go back tomorrow then?” Haywood asked.“Yeah, I have a veggie patch to attend to,” Fortier agreed, they weren’t going to get much more and pushing it would only make it obvious what they were doing.   
“I have pets,” Isaacson nodded.“I’ve got nothing I just want to go home,” Greg agreed. Mycroft just nodded.  
“Oh nice, I don’t have anything back home,” Haywood looked sad.“You have your girlfriend,” Mycroft reminded him.“Yeah but she is with her family for two months because her dad died,” Haywood looked somewhat sad.“Oh that’s sucks,” Greg looked genuinely sad.“Yeah,” Haywood nodded.   
They finished their meals in silence stacking their plates on the main table neatly.  
“How long now?” Fortier asked.  
“Four more hours,” Mycroft looked like he would shoot someone.   
“Oh god,” Isaacson sounded so over it already.   
“Myc your brother’s boyfriend is calling now,” Greg motioned for Mycroft to follow him into one of the secluded alcoves in the room where they would at least have some privacy. Greg put two earphones in a split audio device so that they could both talk to John.“Hey, it’s Greg, M is also here, we are in a meeting thing,” Greg said.“Oh shit I can leave,” John sounded mortified.“No not at all, what is up are you okay? Is Sherlock?” Mycroft asked.  
“Yes I think so, look our anniversary is coming up, and I know he isn’t going to get me anything, which is fine. But what do you think I should get him?” John asked calmly less of the panic that had been in Sherlock's voice more just him asking for advice from a friend.   
“What does Sherlock like?” Greg asked.  
“I was thinking of getting him something science-y but I only really know about medical things. I don’t know anything about forensic science,” John sighed.“Why don’t you go talk to Molly and get her to set aside some fresh cadavers on your anniversary and allow him to do whatever experiments he would like on them,” Mycroft suggested.   
“Brilliant thanks Myc,” John’s smiled was audible.“Hey Myc I’m just gonna chat with John for a second why don’t you go back to the group?” Greg asked Myc.“Yes of course,” Mycroft knew exactly why he was being asked to leave but decided to allow Greg the luxury of pretending that Myc had no idea. Mac returned to the group.  
“Look, mate, you know he likes you in uniform, now I’m not saying full on role play, but maybe offer to show him your old army stuff, maybe show off your uniform,” Greg whispered into the phone.  
“Yeah, that’s not a half bad idea actually,” John agreed, “Okay, I’ve got to go, my sister, is attempting to force me to go to a pub,”   
John hung up and Greg gave himself a second to force his face to stop being red.  
“Mycroft, sorry about that,” Greg returned.  
“Not at all,” Mycroft shook his head.   
“I’ve got to go to the bathroom,” Fortier excused herself, Isaacson and Haywood also took that moment to take a bathroom break.   
“Gregory, does that American man seems more annoying than the other ones?” Mycroft asked rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.   
“Yeah super annoying, is it only an American thing? or is it like just a him thing?” Greg laughed.  
“Oh god I don’t know, honestly I’m just looking forward to getting back to London to get away,” Mycroft leans back.  
“Speaking of which I need to go Christmas shopping,” Greg sighed.“Are you going to my dear brothers Christmas party?” Mycroft asked.  
“Yes I’ve been invited, I believe that his boyfriend wants to set me up with Molly Hooper,’ Greg sighed a little.  
“And what do you think of that suggestion?” Mycroft asked.  
“I don’t think that it is a relationship that I would want,” Greg replied.  
“Mmm,” Mycroft nodded.  
“Are you going?” Greg asked.  
“Yes I believe I am, I need to keep an eye on my dear brother, although I think that his boyfriend has got that under control at the moment,” Mycroft smiled absentmindedly.  
“Do you remember at the party a couple of years ago, when Molly came and your brother deduced that she had a crush without realising that it was him?” Greg laughed.  
“Oh god yeah that was,” Mycroft laughed, “that was not great,” “What are we laughing about?” Haywood asked returning from the much closer men’s toilets.   
“Oh, nothing just the antics that people have gotten up to at Blackwood’s brother’s Christmas party,” Greg smiles at Haywood before returning his attention to Mycroft.   
“The gay one?” Haywood asks.  
“Yeah the gay one,” Mycroft nods.“How can you be gay and religious?” Haywood asks, he seems more curious than aggressive though to Mycroft obliges him.  
“Well I hear that it is perfectly possible, and lots of people are, however, my brother and I are not religious, and neither are our parents, I don’t think that my brother's boyfriend is either, are you religious Greg?” Mycroft asked.  
“No, I’m not myself,” Greg shrugged.  
“Oh okay well then that sure is different,” Haywood looked a little confused before asking, “How do you have Christmas if you aren’t religious?”   
“We just say merry Christmas and we share gifts and there is not any religion, it’s like a cultural celebration, not religious,” Greg explains gently.  
“Oh,” Haywood looked a little confused.“What have you done to confuse him now?” Fortier asks and she sits down with Isaacson.  
“We just explained a secular Christmas to him,” Fortier only nodded in response to Greg.  
“How do you have Christmas if it’s hot?” Haywood asked the Australian and New Zealander.   
“I dunno we just have a tree and we get presents. It’s not really different I don’t think except that we eat cold foods instead of warm ones in some cases,” Isaacson shrugs.   
“Oh okay,” Haywood still looked confused but just gave up.“Mycroft, would I be able to talk to you for a moment?” Fortier asked standing and motioning to the secluded alcove in the wall.“Sure,” Mycroft stood and walked to the area.   
“Mycroft, I don’t want to overstep, but I think that Greg might like you,” Fortier, bit her lip in anxiety.  
“What?” Mycroft stopped, the way his heart beat when Greg was around had always been a thing that he could ignore, he had always just pretended like it wasn’t happening, he just left it. He had been sure that the lingering looks from Greg were just a trick of the light.“Well it’s just that he hasn’t been able to keep his eyes off of you all day, I’m not saying anything, just maybe talk to him at some point,” Fortier shrugged and returned to the group to sit down.   
Mycroft followed shortly after giving himself time to recompose himself. He had liked Greg since he had first met him. He had always just ignored his feelings, he couldn’t be into Greg because there was no way that Greg would want to go out with him.   
Greg smiled at Mycroft as Mycroft sat down and Mycroft’s heart skip a beat as he returned the smile.The rest of the day went by fairly uneventfully. When the meeting between the heads of the country’s finally ended everyone was ready to go home and get out of that room.“Thank god that’s over, hey,” Greg smiled nudging Mycroft.“Yeah, I was going stir crazy in there,” Mycroft agreed as they left to go to the airport and return home.  
When they were finally on the plane they relaxed. The two of them were sitting in a window and aisle seat, it was just the two of them along that side of that aisle.   
“So how was that?” Greg asked looking like he could finally breathe.“Oh god that was awful, I don’t even know what kind of ridiculous work I’m going to have to do to deal with whatever the hell happened in that bloody overly long meeting. I swear I have wanted to quit this job so many times after meetings like that,” Mycroft ran a hand through his hair.  
“You are so good at your job, and hey this flight is only two hours,” Greg smiled at Mycroft and Mycroft’s heart did that floppy over thing.  
“True,” Mycroft smiled back.  
The flight was ten minutes late, and Mycroft was exasperated. He went back to his apartment and he lay on his back on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He knew that he liked Greg, but there was no way that Greg could like him back right? Mycroft let his mind wander, he let himself fantasise about what it would be like if Greg really did like him. He thought about it. They could go to Sherlock’s Christmas party together. They could be the annoying couple to force each of their families to alternate which day they had Christmas each year so that they could go to both. They could live in Mycroft’s flat and it wouldn’t feel so lonely anymore. His flat could actually have someone else in it for once. Maybe they could get a pet a dog or a cat. Greg’s kids would be welcome to come over anytime obviously. They would probably not be able to work together anymore, but that would be okay. Greg could get a job as a detective with the yard go back to working with Sherlock and Mycroft could have someone to go home to who wouldn’t mind that his hours were wacky. He could just go home to Greg and Greg would be okay with that. Greg would sit there on the couch and they could order take away or they could cook and they could watch television and escape from the world together on that couch. Mycroft could lay his head on Greg and maybe that innocent touch would lead further. That train of thought led Mycroft to require a cold shower when it had finally left his head and to go to sleep.Greg was thinking rather similar thoughts on the other side of London, about the auburn-haired man that he was sure, had been smiling at him that day. Hey lay in his crappy flat looking at the small window next to his bed and looked at the stars. He wondered what it would really be like to live with Mycroft, in some swanky upper-class flat with too many rooms, and a massive kitchen. Maybe they could watch shitty telly together and Mycroft would half-heartedly complain about the idiots on the tv and Greg would tell him to suck it up, because he had chosen a working-class man so now he had to deal with terrible telly.  
The next day Mycroft went into his office to read through the papers from the previous days meeting and realised that this was going to be far too much work to allow him to do anything for himself, in fact, his first outing would probably be the bleeding Christmas party at Sherlock’s.


	2. A Christmas Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock and John's annual Christmas party occurs.

Christmas rolled around altogether too quickly for Mycroft. He had mercifully gotten through his mediations with the other nations involved in the deal. This one would be under lock and key for a good few decades at least, the only people allowed access would be the Mycroft’s of the world. The weeks had been long and tedious and he had been locked in his office for a good few weeks at times. He had had contact with only those directly in control of the deal and his PA. None of these people were people that he felt he needed to interact with for any prolonged period of time. Finally, he was done with the work and it was the 23rd of December, Sherlock’s Christmas party was that evening and then he was to be whisked off to the country to endure Christmas with his family.  
Greg had had a rather relaxing last few weeks at work, he was fully aware that it was due almost entirely to the fact that Mycroft was holed up in his office saving the world from itself, but he would take it. Greg had had fewer shifts than normal and they had been almost entirely just him sitting around in front of rooms that housed god knew what. Greg ran a hand through his hair, December 23rd, his last day of work before Christmas, unless Mycroft needed to stay longer, then he would probably be recruited for those shifts. Greg heard footsteps approaching the place he was stationed, it was just before midday, and he was unsure of who would be walking back here. “Thank you so much for bearing with me these past few weeks I know they have been absolutely tedious. Have a good Christmas break I will see you in the new year then,” Greg heard the unmistakable sound of Mycroft's voice accompanying the footsteps.“Thank you sir, you as well, see you in the new year,” Anthea’s voice followed before her footsteps went in an entirely different direction.“Gregory,” Mycroft greeted sounding a little surprised as he turned the corner.  
“Mr Holmes,” Greg nodded, he knew how he had to act at work, maybe not when they were having a conversation, but Greg was dedicated to being professional.“I assume you haven’t done your Christmas shopping yet?” Mycroft asked standing in front of Greg.“No sir,” Greg had been meaning to he really had he just hadn’t gotten around to it.  
“Well then, why don’t we go and do that now?” Mycroft asked, his heart skipped a beat slightly, but this was simply an invitation to go shopping for Christmas presents.   
“I have to finish my shift sir,” Greg declined, he really would have liked to go with Mycroft.  
“Well if you would like to come early I can arrange for an early end, no change to your payroll,” Mycroft smiled cocking his head he didn’t want to make it seem like Greg had to.  
“That would be lovely thanks sir,” Greg nodded, his Christmas shopping had been creeping up on him.  
“Alright then,” Mycroft pulled out his phone and tapped a few buttons, within two minutes another man was standing where Greg had been and he and Mycroft were making their way out of the building to a car that Mycroft had called.“Sir, I have my own car, if you would prefer,” Greg offered, more in a hope to get his car home soon so that he wouldn’t have to pay too much for parking.  
“Sure Gregory and please call my Mycroft we aren’t at work anymore,” Mycroft smiled at Gregory and began to walk towards the staff carparks.“Mycroft?” Greg asked.  
“Yes?” Mycroft walked briskly.  
“How do you know where I park?” Greg asked a little surprised.“I used to work at the same level as you there is only one parking level allowed for your level and there is only one good corner to park in,” Mycroft smiled, knowing the Greg had had an early shift and would definitely have found the good park in the back corner.  
“You really are smart,” Greg complimented without thinking.“Yes well I had to get my job somehow,” Mycroft smiled.The two of them made it to Greg’s car, it was old although not run down. It was from probably ten years previously. Mycroft didn’t bat an eye, Greg had thought that the man had probably not seen a car as old or cheap as his, at least not for a long time. Mycroft didn’t seem to mind though.  
“I apologise that my car is not as nice and mysterious as your normal ride,” Greg smiled, joking through his insecurities and sitting in the driver's seat. Mycroft slipped into the passenger seat and looked at Greg with confusion.“Don’t worry about it I like your car and besides I can’t be mysterious all the time,” Mycroft smiled.  
“I think you really are mysterious all the time, but okay,” Greg smiled. They drove to a shopping centre halfway between them and Sherlock’s flat. The shopping centre had a wide enough variety that Greg should be able to afford something for everyone and Mycroft could get an appropriately expensive gift for his purposes.  
“Who is going to this party?” Mycroft asked pulling out a notebook.“Molly, Me, you, Sherlock, John, Mrs Hudson, I think that’s all,” Greg rattled off.  
“Perfect,” Mycroft ticked something in his notebook.“What’s that for?” Greg asked he expected that Mycroft would say it was something confidential.“Present list,” Mycroft replied absentmindedly taking down a note and smiling to himself.“You have a present list?” Greg asked, expecting that Mycroft probably just got someone else to do his decisions for him.“Yes well except for strictly work-related gifts, I buy all of my gifts with a list,” Mycroft looked at Greg like that was a perfectly normal thing.  
“I just go shopping and get people stuff if I think they would like it,” Greg replied shrugging.“That’s inefficient,” Mycroft replied leaving the car and walking towards the entrance.  
“Okay then, but my presents are still perfectly fine,” Greg sounded a little wounded and Mycroft felt his heart drop.“Yes of course they are, mine just takes less time, works better for my ridiculous work schedule,” Mycroft tried to rectify the situation.“You work too much, has anyone ever told you that?” Greg asked, he really did think that Mycroft worked too much, he wished desperately that Mycroft would take time off, maybe take him to coffee. Greg allowed himself a few sweet seconds of blissful imagination of a world in which he and Mycroft were more than friends.   
“No most people tell me that I don’t work enough, or that they only get to see me at Christmas and I should go to my parents more often,” Mycroft shrugged walking into a store, Greg followed him.“Well I think you work too much for your own good,” Greg said as Mycroft perused some shelves that he evidently found interesting before moving to the back of the bookshop and looked through some books on medical history and forensic techniques. “Who’s this for then?” Greg asked.“Sherlock and John, one for Sherlock to correct,” Mycroft pulled out a novel on the proper forensic techniques to use when solving a serial criminal case, “And one for John to read, and probably correct about half of,” Mycroft pulled out an anthology of medical procedures.   
“What do you mean?” Greg asked, John, didn’t seem the type to correct books.“John may not be as intelligent as my brother Gregory, but he is one of the most skilled doctors I have ever met and knows more than half the medical profession put together,” Mycroft shrugged moving to the records and skimming through them.  
“Mrs Hudson?” Greg asked.  
“Yes, I know she had a record player, I thought she might like to update the music,” Mycroft skimmed through the techno and dance music. Mycroft pulled out a record with a cover that Greg was fairly certain was the brightest colour he had ever seen.“Will she like that?” Greg asked.  
“Yes, trust me I know what I’m doing,” Mycroft took his purchases to the counter and smiled at the teenager working on the checkout who looked about ready to drop dead. “Thank you,” Mycroft took the books and record in a large paper bag and the two of them left the store.   
“Mycroft?” Greg asked.  
“Yes, Gregory?” Mycroft replied balancing his shopping bag and umbrella in his right hand.  
“Would you mind if I went to a clothing store, it’s just that there is a new line of scarfs that I would like to buy for Sherlock,” Greg asked feeling like a child.“Of course not Gregory, I am not your parent you can do as you would please,” Mycroft smiled turning down one of the long open walkways towards the slightly higher-end part of the shopping centre. Greg made his way to a store that had stocked the scarf and jumper that he wanted to buy for Sherlock and John respectively. The scarf was a slightly lighter purple than the one that Sherlock already owned, but Greg had checked with John and he had said that it was fine. There was a jumper in that same store in a creme colour with accents in the same purple as the scarf. Greg picked it up for John and moved on to find something for the others. All in all, he got a beautiful leather notebook and pen set for Molly, a novel about a cartel in America that Mrs Hudson had said she was dying to read, and a novel about spying that he hoped Mycroft would find funny.   
Mycroft was sitting in a coffee shop waiting for Greg with bags full of things for people. A dusty rose scarf gloves couple for Molly, and he had gotten Greg a box set of a television show that Greg loved coupled with the book of the original, he had found a first edition copy of the book in a second-hand bookshop a few months ago and had picked up the DVD that day.   
“Hello then, how long have you been waiting?” Greg asked sitting down across from Mycroft as he finished his tea slowly.  
“About twenty minutes, the list system really is more efficient,” Mycroft smiled at the faux hurt on Greg’s face.   
“Shall we get going then?” Greg asked.“Yes, would you mind dropping me at my flat so that I can change?” Mycroft asked.  
“Sure thing,” Greg agreed. Greg dropped Mycroft to his flat and moved on to his own.   
Mycroft had a shower and changed into a more appropriate suit. He sat at his kitchen table and carefully wrapped the gifts into classy black wrapping paper with gold Christmas themed accents covering them. Greg also had a shower and got changed, however, his wrapping job was more like putting gifts into gift bags and covering them with wrapping paper.   
At 221b Baker Street, John and Sherlock were bickering. “Why can’t I wear a sheet, they’re our friends,” Sherlock groaned lying on the couch a sheet only just covering him as he sprawled even further across the couch.  
“Sherlock babe you have to wear clothes,” John sighed putting out appropriately Christmas themed drinks and nibbles.  
“Fine, but I’m not happy about it,” Sherlock trudged to their bedroom and rifled through his set of drawers that he wouldn’t let John near.   
“You had better put on something nice,” John teased slightly smiling to himself.  
“How’s this?” Sherlock returned wearing nothing but a pair of very small silken briefs.“Hmmm, I would not complain at all, but I think Mycroft might have something to say or Mrs Hudson,” John feigned compassion as if Sherlock was a young child.“Mrs Hudson would love it,” Sherlock protested.  
“Mmm I love it,” John kissed Sherlock softly resting a hand on his lower back. Sherlock hummed happily. John felt infinite content he still couldn’t believe that he was allowed to kiss Sherlock anytime he wanted, and that Sherlock would be happy for it. “Go, put on a nice suit, we can finish this when everyone has left,” John murmured into Sherlock's lips. Sherlock smiled and turned.  
When Sherlock returned he was wearing a perfectly respectable thin cut pair of suit trousers and a slightly tight purple shirt that John is pretty sure made him fall in love with Sherlock in the first place. John stirred the batter for the try of biscuits that he was making, they had all agreed to get take out for dinner but John had wanted to still be a good host. Sherlock stood behind him wrapping his hands around John’s waist and placing his chin against John’s head. John relaxed into the embrace and began to roll out the biscuit dough. Before cutting them into somewhat festive shapes and offering a piece of raw batter to Sherlock.“They’re good, put them on for seventeen and a half minutes,” Sherlock recommended moving to open the over.“Thanks,” John put the biscuits in the oven and set a timer. Sherlock had an incredible skill for baking and could always recommend changes and baking times for John.  
“Did we have to invite Mycroft?” Sherlock groaned a little flopping down onto the couch.  
“Yes he’s your brother and he loves you, and even if you don’t you love him you do really,” John booped Sherlock on the nose to which Sherlock looked confused.   
The doorbell rang at that moment and John got up the answer the door, Sherlock following. John always took the lead in social situations, as much as Sherlock had gotten far better and more personable with John he still struggled with just about everyone else.  
Mrs Hudson met the boys on the stairs and continued up to the flat, she didn’t really need permission but she had been waiting for someone else to arrive.   
“Hey Greg,” John opened the door on Greg who had gotten bored from waiting at home and decided to just get going.“Hey John, Molly is also here,” Molly waved from behind Greg.  
“Alrighty come on up then,” John walked up to the stairs and the rest of them followed.“I love what you’ve done with the place Molly complimented looking at the Christmas lights and foil letters that John had convinced Sherlock to let him put up.“Thank you, Molly,” John pointed to space beside the window where there was a small pile of presents waiting when Greg lifted his presents in question.  
The pile grew slowly and they all poured drink until Mycroft arrived.  
“Hello brother dearest,” Mycroft greeted Sherlock, “John, lovely to see you. Greg, Molly, Mrs Hudson,” Mycroft quickly said hello to everyone before sinking into his seat.   
The small party say around with drinks. A timer went off prompting John to go and take the biscuits out of the oven and leave them to cool.“Molly, how has the morgue been?” Mrs Hudson asked kindly staring a conversation.  
“Oh really busy lots of people die around Christmas for some reason,” Molly enthused.“More drinking, unstable relationships, childhood memories, there are all sorts of reasons,” Sherlock interjected before John came to sit beside him and rested a hand on his thigh gently.“So Sherlock solve anything interesting recently?” Greg asked actually interested.“We had this case where a woman had fallen onto the train tracks, but there were no signs of suicide and the security tapes had been wiped, turned out that she was pushed due to her relation to the poisoning of a high up official in Ukraine,” Sherlock smiled explaining the case to Greg.  
The party discussed the merits of political assassinations and the mistakes that assassins had made that led to them getting caught for a few hours before John ordered food from the only take out place still open, a pizza joint around the corner. Their dinner passed quickly mostly with discussions that the average person would find too gross to eat while discussing, but in a room containing a detective, an ex-cop turned bodyguard, a man occupying a minor position in the British government, a mortician, and an ex-cartel boss/stripper, there really wasn’t much to be avoided.   
Presents were done quickly and quietly with thanks given and received. None of them was particularly good at this part of the evening, but they all got through. Greg felt his heart warm when he saw what Mycroft had gotten him, it couldn’t have been cheap or easy to come by. Mycroft ran his hand over the novel chuckling slightly before honestly thanking Greg, it was funny, but Mycroft would actually enjoy the novel, not that he would tell anyone.   
The night ended around ten o’clock when Molly said that she had a double shift the next day that was allowing her to take a week off for Christmas and Mrs Hudson had to go to bed.“You can stay if you would like,” John offered to Greg and Mycroft as they both made moves to leave.“Thank you, John, but I had best be off, I need to pack to see my family,” Greg raised his eyebrows at John who understood completely.   
“As do I, I will see you two tomorrow yeah?” Mycroft asked.   
“We are going to my families Christmas tomorrow, but we will see you Christmas day,” John raised his eyebrows to convert a similar thought process.  
“We will see you in the afternoon, do remind mummy she will get worried,” Sherlock hugged his bother, not unheard of but uncommon enough for John to do a double take.“Yeah, of course I’m sure she’ll remember,” Mycroft smiled, their mother had a memory stronger than any he had ever known, it only seemed to falter around things that she didn’t want to hear, like that her son would have to spend part of his Christmas with the homophobe family of his boyfriend.   
“Yeah, see you Myc,” Sherlock nodded taking a sip from a mug of eggnog.  
John waved as Greg and Mycroft left.   
“Would you like a lift home?” Greg asked as Mycroft prepared to make his own way home.  
“Sure, it’s not out of your way is it?” Mycroft asked, he knew it wasn’t but he didn’t feel as if Greg needed to know that Mycroft already knew these things.“No it’s on the way actually,” Greg smiled nodding towards his car. Greg let Mycroft into his side of the car and slipped into the driver's seat. “That was lovely, they have both seemed so much happier this past year,” Greg turned the key in the ignition and sat for a moment to let the heat clear the windows of ice and then evened the heat and cool to avoid the windows fogging up, they probably would anyway but still he had attempted.  
“I am happy for them, and I think mother is awfully happy that Sherlock has found someone, although this does mean that like last year all the attention to relationships will fall onto me,” Mycroft groaned slightly. The rather unexpected sound made Greg’s heart leap into his throat.   
“I hear you, ever since my divorce, it’s been all my family can seem to ask me, when are you going to find a nice woman to bring over Greg?” Greg trailed off as he pulled onto the main road.“Do they know you’re bisexual?” Mycroft asked adjusting the bags at his feet.   
“Yeah, well I told them, they don’t mind I just think that they take comfort in the idea that I could still marry a woman,” Greg shrugged.  
“Yeah, that’s not ideal,” Mycroft replied.  
“Your parents obviously don’t mind about Sherlock,” Greg added, not exactly asking a question but wanting to know if there had been problems.  
“Our parents are both so left wing, and highly educated I don’t think it ever crossed their minds to give two shits,” Mycroft pondered, “When Sherlock came out I think they were just happy to know that he trusted them with anything, and when I came out, well it wasn’t really a surprise I don’t think that they cared,” Mycroft shrugged.   
“Do you really need to pack?” Greg asked.  
“Yeah I should have done it weeks ago, my mother would be so disappointed. I’m going up early just so that mum and dad have someone there to reassure them that Sherlock will be fine in the mean homophobes household,” Mycroft smiled. “Do you?”   
“Yeah, maybe, I don’t know, my wife has the kids for Christmas this week, they’ve almost left home completely, but I don’t know I just have to spend the whole time with my family being pitied, I’ve been procrastinating from packing for ages now.  
“That’s awful, is there nothing you can do?” Mycroft asked, knowing full well that no there was nothing and Greg would have to just endure Christmas without his kids.   
“No, the law essentially lets her do this, but that’s okay,” Greg looked a little put out.“You have my phone number don’t you?” Mycroft asked he was about to offer something that he hadn’t ever offered anyone.“Yes, why?” Greg asked.  
“If you would like to keep your mind off of your family, you are more than welcome to text me, I really don't have much to do and apart from talking to my parents, I should be able to reply,” Mycroft smiled at his bodyguard.   
“Yeah alright, is HR gonna have a fit?” Greg asked.“They shouldn’t seeing as they probably won’t find out, I am actually good at computers,” Mycroft smiled.“Alright then, I will message you, be prepared to read the ridiculous things that my family members say,” Greg replied as he pulled into Mycroft’s building.   
“Of course Gregory. Thank you for the ride, I will be expecting messages from you, see you in the new year,” Mycroft stood.“Anytime Mycroft, see you later,” Greg waved as Mycroft walked into his building. Greg pulled out and drove back to his house listening to the sappy Christmas music on the radio.Mycroft lay on his back, why did he offer that? That was a terrible idea, but also he desperately wanted Greg to text him. It would never be romantic, of course, it wouldn’t, but maybe they could have a closer friendship. Maybe the people at work would question if it was strictly platonic. Mycroft carefully folded clothes into his suitcase and organised a car for the next day. He showered and put the presents he had bought for his family members into a large case. The television wasn’t playing anything interesting so he turned on the radio to listen to terrible Christmas songs and sit on his couch in pyjamas with a glass of red. Mycroft lets his mind wander. What would it be like if Greg had followed him if Greg had accompanied him to a flat that was not only Mycroft’s but Greg’s as well? What would the world be if the two of them were sitting there, Greg channel surfing and Mycroft lying in his lap? The two of them laughing quietly and murmuring quietly about anything but work or politics.   
Greg pulled into his flat and went upstairs to lay in his bed avoiding packing. He let his mind wander, the same way he had that night after their trip. The thoughts about Mycroft. Greg closed his eyes, wondering what life would be like, would they be apprehensibly waiting for the next day when Greg’s family would meet Mycroft for the first time when they would either love or hate him. What would it be like to feel secure, to know that no matter what Greg’s family thought it wouldn’t matter because they would have each other. He yearned for that safety, for the warmth, but he didn’t want that love from just anyone, he couldn’t fathom having that kind of a relationship with anyone but Mycroft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this, especially big thanks to the people that commented and left kudos, those things really do help me and really motivate me to write more so thank you so much!!!


	3. Do you want more?

Hey so the real question right now is do you guys want more chapters? I have around a billion ideas for fanfictions, not necessarily original but they exist, so if people would like to see more of this story then please tell me and I am so happy to write more I just want to know what people actually want me to write, there is a bunch of stuff in the works right now so just tell me if you like this story and the direction it's going.


	4. Chapter Three - Part A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas at John's

Sherlock was feeling stressed, John’s family did not like him in the slightest. It was a strange way to live, with his parents so happy for them and John’s so distressed by the whole situation. It wasn’t a thing that would or could change, and it definitely wasn’t anything that John wanted to work on, he just dealt with it. His sister, Harry, she had worked, or at least tried to work, on her parent's feelings towards her sexuality, it had gotten her so hated by their family that she was silent almost every time that she was around her family. John didn’t want to have to deal with it. This year was going to be slightly different, or rather it would be a throwback to the days with Clara, Harry had a new girlfriend, they had been going out for months. The two had met in rehab, not a fact that they were going to share with John’s parents. Harry seemed to be happy for the first time since it ended with Clara, John is happy and Sherlock is happy because his John is happy. After the Christmas party, John and Sherlock cleared away, playing Christmas music and swaying gently together getting distracted by each other and the beautiful clear sounds of the music that John had chosen. Their little flat felt like absolute heaven, with their heater warming the room and the fairy lights that John was never taking down, twinkling in the dark. When the room was finally clean Sherlock grabbed John’s hand twirling him around the room as the music made them sway gently. “Sherlock,” John mused.  
“Yes John,” Sherlock replied burying his face in John’s warm neck.“We need to pack,” John lifted Sherlocks face as he said this, disappointment filling his words.  
“Why John?” Sherlock groaned.“Because my parents are insane and we need to be ready to see them,” John replied, his resignation to seeing his parents evident in his voice.“Fine John, but you owe me,” Sherlock pulled John to their room. Sherlock pulled down the case that they would use, they were going away for three days, and Sherlock wouldn’t let John anywhere near the case.   
“You can let me pack Sherlock,” John groaned flopping down on their bed.   
“No you don’t organise it how I like,” Sherlock said as he organised clothes in some system that John would never quite understand.   
“Then let’s go over the plan again,” John flopped his head back on the pillow, his stress bleeding through his words.   
“John it is going to be fine, I promise, we will be fine,” Sherlock pleaded gently, he knew the stress that John’s family put on John, he had been there at the last Christmas where the entire family had sat in complete silence as John’s parents had yelled at John, and himself, although they were attempting desperately to ignore Sherlock at all costs. John’s grandparents had been the only ones to talk, they had told him and John to just get over it and stop hurting their daughter.   
“I know, I know that rationally, but you know how they can be, and I’m worried for Harry and Anna, you know how my parents are. What if they disown her once and for all, what if they disown me totally?” John was beginning to stress, maybe not a panic attack, but definitely stress.   
“John darling please listen to me,” Sherlock cupped John’s jaw gently in his hands, this was a side of Sherlock that only John ever got to see, this gentle kind side of Sherlock. John loved this side of Sherlock, “you are so strong, and whatever ridiculousness your parents throw at us, we will get through it together, we will I promise. There is nothing that your parents can do that can hurt us I promise. And John, look at me, I love you enough for every member of your family put together, plus some,” Sherlock was knelt awkwardly on their bed holding John’s face in his hands. Sherlock pressed a gentle kiss to John’s forehead allowing the man to calm down slowly.  
“Yeah, you’re right,” John replied.  
The next morning John woke earlier than Sherlock was curled around John’s torso, his long lanky body curling around John’s small one. John smiled, running his hand through Sherlock's hair and playing gently with the curls. “John, we gotta go soon,” Sherlock woke up rather abruptly, John was sure that Sherlock had his mind set on the exact time that he would need to tell John to get ready.   
“Yeah I know,” John rolled out of their bed and pulled himself over to the wardrobe. He rifled through before Sherlock handed him an already meticulously planned outfit. “You’re so perfect,” John turned kissing Sherlock gently before the taller man had to turn to get himself ready.   
Sherlock wore what he always wore, plain black suit pants, tailored to show off everything perfectly, and a slightly too tight purple shirt. He had handed John a plain striped t-shirt with a pair of tight blue jeans, hung on the same hanger was the creme jumper that Greg had gotten for John. It was lovely and John realised that the details on the jumper matched the scarf that Sherlock was wrapping around his throat. The two men got ready quickly, they were practised at this as a result of a large number of cases that had to be worked quickly. The two made their way to the cab that would take them to the suburbs of Manchester, where John’s parents lived, they would stay only one night before moving on to Sherlock’s families place. John and Sherlock sat in the back of the cab, in silence for the whole journey. It wasn’t any kind of passive-aggressive silence, just the silence of needing to be calm and ready for the ordeal that was John’s family. The ride was disappointingly short and by the time they had gotten to the house, both John and Sherlock were feeling the stress.  
“John, be calm, you will be okay, I promise,” Sherlock squeezed John’s hand before leaving the cab and collecting their suitcase from the boot.   
“Yeah yeah, okay, are you sure you’re okay?” John asked apprehensibly.   
“Yes John, I am perfectly fine,” Sherlock nodded.They made their way to the front door and stood for a moment before John pressed the doorbell.  
“John dear,” John’s mother and father greeted him and pulled him inside, Sherlock followed behind, silently. “How has life been love?” John’s mother asked, completely ignoring Sherlock.“Everything has been alright thanks,” John replied, “How are you and dad?”   
“We are doing wonderfully, your father has been working on a new shed for the backyard,” John’s mother sounded really invested in the shed.  
“That’s lovely to hear, are we in the same room this year?” John asked, his mother had put them up in John’s old room.“Yes, I got you a camping mattress this year so you don’t have to share the bed again,” John’s mother replied pretending once again that she just didn’t know what was going on, if she couldn’t ignore Sherlock then she was definitely going to avoid their relationship.  
“Thanks, mum, we are going to go up there and unpack, ok,” John told his mum before motioning for Sherlock to follow him up the stairs and into John’s small childhood room.“Well that was unpleasant,” Sherlock commented as he put down their suitcase and pulled out exactly the clothes that they would need for the next few days.   
“I am so sorry love,” John wrapped his arms around Sherlock and pulled him into his body.“It’s not your fault love,” Sherlock tipped John’s head upwards. John leaned upwards as Sherlock leaned down to reach his lips. They kissed slowly and gently. Sherlock sighed and relaxed into John’s embrace.   
“I know, but I just, I’m sorry,” John leant his head onto Sherlock's chest and sighed relaxing into him.“I know love,” Sherlock wrapped his long slender arms around John holding him close.  
“We should go downstairs,” John groans into Sherlock’s chest.“Yes we should,” Sherlock agrees as the two of them pull apart slowly. They make their way downstairs. More of John’s family had arrived at John’s families modest house. John’s entire family was there, his two aunts, and their partners, his uncle and his wife, his five cousins and two of his cousin's children. Now all that was left was Harry and Anna.   
“Oh hello, John,” John’s liberal aunt, the only one who was ever really nice to them greeted.“Hello aunty Sandra, how are you?” He greeted as his aunt pulled him in for a hug.“Oh I’m great thank you love, how are you? Oh and Sherlock is here,” His aunt let go of John and moved over to hug Sherlock.   
“Hello Sandra it’s lovely to see you again,” Sherlock greeted, he liked Sandra.  
Sherlock followed John around as he introduced himself to everyone, most of John’s family members took John’s parents and grandparents stance and just ignored Sherlock completely. As the day wore on Sherlock could feel himself only partially paying attention to the conversation at hand.   
John’s younger family members looked at Sherlock confused and Sherlock could always hear the whispering of their parents, telling the children lies about gay people. He could almost sense the worming infestation of the ideas in the children.   
A knock arrived on the door a few hours later, marking the entrance of Harry and Anna, likely the only two adults, excluding Sandra that would talk to Sherlock, occasionally a rogue child would talk to Sherlock before their parent tugged them away.   
“Harriet” John’s mother greeted her daughter, pointedly ignoring Anna. The two women made their introductions and Anna was ignored. “Hi John,” Harry ended her introductions on her brother when Harry had come out of rehab when she had actually tried to get help John had decided to try to recover their relationship. “Hey Harry,” Sherlock was fairly certain that the shared experience of their insane parent's homophobia was starting to help the two bond more.“Hello Harry,” Sherlock greeted, he let himself be pulled in for a hug by his sister in law smiling.“Sherlock, this is Anna,” Harry introduced Sherlock to Anna. She was slim, no she was skinny, too skinny, with long dark hair that she had pulled into an intricate concoction of braids. “Hi Sherlock,” Anna seemed nice, softly spoken and kind, there was a keen intelligence behind her eyes, that Sherlock was sure would make for some interesting conversations between them.   
“Anna, you’ve met John, Sherlock is his boyfriend,” Harry introduced. The four of them stood awkwardly in the corner waiting for the day to be over so that they could go to bed and get this whole fiasco over and done with.   
The day went fairly uneventfully, people handed out presents, Sherlock and Anna were ignored and despite their names being on the presents along with their partners, they were not thanked. Sherlock led Anna to a separate room to avoid the awkwardness felt by the children as they tried to decide how to thank people.   
“Is it always like this?” Anna asked tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and leaning against a wall.“Hostile, obviously,” Sherlock snapped back.“Exhausting,” Anna replied, evidently slightly taken aback by Sherlock's tone.“Yes, it is,” Sherlock relaxed into a seat and motioned for Anna to sit also.  
“My family isn’t exactly all happy and smiley but they’re not this tiring,” Anna grinned.“I get it,” Sherlock nodded in agreement.  
“How do you do it?” Anna asked.  
“We don’t see John’s family that much, and I focus on the good times,” Sherlock felt as if this girl may not be as intelligent as he originally thought, however, he did feel sorry for her. She had just gotten out of rehab, she thought that she had found the perfect person, evidently. And now she had to deal with the Christmas from hell.  
“You’re a lot nicer than you let on. Where do we eat dinner?” Anna asked.  
“Wherever I eat wherever there’s a spare room, then I just wait for everyone to leave,” Sherlock replied.   
The two did the same thing that Sherlock normally did alone. Anna was nice, she ate like she didn’t really know what food was and she didn’t drink. She undid her hair halfway through the meal and it hung around her hips.   
“I’m going to go to John and I’s room, avoid the people leaving and all that,” As Sherlock said this a daughter of one of John’s cousins walked in.   
“Hey,” The kid sat up on one of the chairs.  
“Hello,” Anna replied kindly. “I’m Anna,”   
“Juniper,” The girl replied, her blonde hair was cut into a bob with bangs that hung on her eyebrows and Sherlock was sure that this hair cut set her apart slightly from her family.  
“Juniper, are you’re parents going to be mad that you are talking to us?” Sherlock asked, he knew the answer but she looked old enough to make decisions.   
“Yeah, but you are always alone, and everyone except my parents have left, they are super drunk, so mum’s probably passed out on the couch and dad will be as well soon,” Juniper shrugged, the girl had an older sister who was doing a semester abroad and was away from this Christmas.  
“Oh, well hello Juniper it’s lovely to meet you,” Anna smiled at the girl.   
“How old are you Juniper?” Sherlock asked he had never really paid that much attention.“I’m seventeen,” The girl smiled tucking her hair behind her ear and shrugging.  
“So you’re in secondary school?” Anna asked.“Yeah, I’m finishing soon,” Juniper smiled.  
“Are you okay? Is there a reason you’re here?” Sherlock knew exactly why she was there, and it probably had something to do with the girl's skinny jeans and converse.   
“What’s it like, not being acknowledged, how are John and Harry, why is this family so awful,” The girl looked almost terrified.“You’re gay?” Anna asked.“Yeah,” The girl had tears running down her cheeks.  
“Juniper,” Sherlock knew that he was terrible with people, but he also knew what he wished someone had told John when he was a young man, maybe they could have stopped him from carving those words into his skin when he was discharged from the army, maybe they could have prevented him from giving up a promising medical career for Afghanistan. The young woman looked up, “One day you are going to find a woman who will love you so much. I know this is so difficult and this is so awful and isn't a situation that you should even be allowed to be living. You will be amazing and you will have a good life, I promise that you just have to hold on,” Sherlock finished, his empathy was almost completely drained.“Kiddo,” Anna piped up, “you will get past this, it just takes time, and you’re family are so wrong a backwards,” Anna smiled at the girl.  
“Thank you, I should go make sure neither of my parents are dead,” Juniper stood sadly wiping her tears from her eyes and returning to the main living room.  
“I should go,” Sherlock rose to go and find John. John was exactly where Sherlock had expected to find him. Lying in their room looking exhausted.   
“Juniper came to talk to me and Anna,” Sherlock sat down on the bed that John was lounging on and rested his head against John’s chest.   
“She’s gay right?” John asked threading his fingers through Sherlock’s hair.“Yeah, is there anything we can do?” Sherlock asks wrapping an arm around John’s torso and smiling at the touch.  
“Offer her a place when she has to leave home?” John suggests.  
“Sure, now you sound like you are about to pass out,” Sherlock looks at the love of his life.  
“I am but I have to tell you what my mum said today,” John smiled at the man curled against his side.“Was it something homophobic about my new hair cut?” Sherlock asked slipping a hand under John’s shirt more to keep himself warm than anything else.“Jesus Sherlock your hand is freezing, and no. She said that it was nice that you have a friend now and that maybe you and Anna could get married,” John shook his head wrapping his arms around Sherlock's shoulders as he pulled them further into the warm covers.  
“Oh wow, that sounds like your mum,” Sherlock agrees as the two drift off into blissful warm sleep.


	5. Chapter Three - Part B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Holmes' family Christmas

The Holmes’ Family  
Sherlock crossed one leg over the other in the back of the taxi, John was sitting next to him staring out of the window while Sherlock sat in silence. They would be on the train out to Sherlock’s place soon enough and they could speak freely but with the taxi driver in the front they couldn’t discuss work and Sherlock was reasonably uninterested in discussing his own family. The car ride was too long for Sherlock’s liking, and John desperately wanted to know what was happening with Sherlock’s family.   
“Sherlock, darling, can you at least tell me who is going to be there?” John saw Sherlocks interest being turned towards him at the use of a pet name.  
“My parents, my brother, mummy says he’s bringing someone this year, so whomever he has forced to join us. Oh and Uncle Rudy. He’s the last one left now,” Sherlock shrugged.   
“Oh, and Uncle Rudy is the crossdresser?” John asked, he had heard plenty of stories by now.  
“He wears women’s clothes yes, but it’s really not a big thing,”  
“Okay”The two settled back in companionable silence. As the car moved closer to Sherlock’s families over-large estate.   
“Sherlock, John!” Sherlock’s mother’s voice was ecstatic.   
“Mummy,” Sherlock greeted, John always wondered what kind of relationship they had, he never dared to ask.   
“Sherlock,” Sherlock’s mother pulled him into a tight hug and squeezed against his ribs. “John,” Sherlock’s mother launched herself at him.  
“Wanda,” John greeted.  
“Mycroft and the boy he brought are here already,”   
Sherlock and John looked at each other with slight incredulity, they had never really thought about who Mycroft might have brought.   
The two made their way inside to meet with Sherlock’s brother.   
“Hello brother dearest,” Mycroft greeted, he was standing next to Greg Lestrade.“Hello Mycroft, Gareth” Sherlock greeted Greg.“Greg,” John chastised Sherlock before hugging Greg and nodding at Mycroft. “Sherlock let’s go put our bags down,” John started up the stairs, Sherlock followed.   
“What on earth?” Sherlock threw his bags down on their bed.“Yeah that’s definitely weird, but they have been spending an awful lot of time together,” “Nope it’s definitely fake,” “Look I don’t care can we just give your mum a nice Christmas?”   
“Fine,” When the two returned downstairs everyone was in the sitting room warming up around the fire, including a man, wearing a dress, who John had never met.  
“Hello,” Sherlock greeted the room stiffly looking at Greg.“Sherlock my boy,” Uncle Rudy rose from his seat and pulled Sherlock into a hug.  
“Uncle Rudy, this is my boyfriend, John,” Sherlock introduced the two and John shook the mans hand before being pulled into a bone crushing hug. Overall Uncle Rudy seemed very nice.  
At that moment Mr. Holmes entered the room to announce that dinner was ready and they all filed into the dining room.  
The usual small talk followed as they tucked into the steaming food provided by Mr Holmes.   
“So how did you two meet?” Rudy asked Greg and Mycroft.  
“We worked together, before becoming fast friends, our relationship developed from there,” Mycroft’s voice was clipped and reserved, Sherlock knew exactly what that meant.   
“He always makes it sound so boring, we are very happy,” Greg added catching the tone himself.  
“Oh that’s lovely,” Rudy smiled at his nephews.   
The rest of the evening went by much better than John’s family gathering had gone. They finished the meal, had hot chocolate around the Christmas tree while opening gifts, early as Greg and Mycroft had to be off the Greg’s families Christmas the next mooring. When they had all received ample gifts from each other Mrs. Holmes got out the photo albums.   
Greg and Mycroft were sitting in the back of the room, curled next to each other on the couch.  
“So this seems to have gone well,” Greg commented.  
“Yes, do you think tomorrow will work this well?” Mycroft asked, knowing the answer already.  
“My family are not super happy about me bringing a man, but it should be fine,” Greg shrugged.  
At that point Mrs. Holmes announced that she was going to bed and everyone agreed that it was probably time to turn in.  
John and Sherlock went to Sherlock’s old room, John rested his cheek against Sherlock’s soft curls as he ranted about how and why he thought that Mycroft’s relationship with Greg was fake. It was mostly something to do with some tone.   
“Are you okay to share the bed?” Mycroft asked awkwardly.   
“Yeah are you alright?” Greg asked looking around Mycroft’s room. The walls were plastered with a wide array of things, from scientific papers and photographs of crime scenes, to a couple of posters from bands Greg didn’t even know that Mycroft knew existed.   
“Yes of course,” Mycroft had never enjoyed sharing the bed, but he felt that this was probably not a time in which to be squeamish about other people.   
The two prepared for bed and slipped into Mycroft’s childhood bed. “Do you think that went well?” Greg asked.  
“Well mummy liked you, which means a lot. They all seemed to believe it without any kind of convincing, I think we will be fine,” Mycroft smiled and they turned to face opposite directions and float off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is sort of short, there is one more Christmas chapter then there should be longer ones.


	6. Chapter Three - Part C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lestrade's family Christmas.

Lestrade’s christmas   
Greg and Mycroft sat in the very nice black car that Mycroft had called from work for them. They sat in silence for the entire ride. Greg’s families house was in the city, on the outskirts of London. The car pulled into the driveway of the detached house and Greg smiled as they stepped out of the car, leaving their bags in it. Mycroft had assured Greg that his things would be returned to his house.   
“Ready?” Mycroft asked Greg seeing the slight panic in his eyes.“Yeah, hopefully they haven’t had my cousin bring her friends to try and set me up,”“It will be fine, besides it is only a few hours,” “You’re right,” “Greg,” A shrill female voice came as a woman that Mycroft assumed to be Greg’s mother. “Mum, hey,” Greg hugged his mother before turning, “this is my boyfriend Mycroft,”   
“Oh, hello Mycroft,” Greg’s mother didn’t make any attempt to be nice to Mycroft before turning tightly on her heel and leading the two men into her house. It was six o’clock, the two would probably be able to amen excuses at around ten to leave.   
“Hello,” Mycroft didn’t make any attempt to be overly nice either he simply smiled and followed her inside. “It’s fine,” Greg smiled at Mycroft, who was visibly pale.“Yes I know it is fine,” The two introduced themselves to Greg’s quiet father who simply smiled awkwardly and went back to his book on the second world war, Greg’s cousin and his cousins friend who looked disappointed when Mycroft was introduced, and Greg’s younger brother who looked completely exasperated by the whole thing. The younger brother was also single Mycroft learnt.   
The evening passed in awkward silence, with tiny bits of dispersed conversation.Dinner was overall a completely awkward affair. “So Mycroft, what do you do for a living?” Greg’s mother asked, obviously having noticed the very nice suit and overly expensive car.   
“I work in the government,” Mycroft replied hoping that that would be the end of the questions.   
“What do you do in the Government?” His mother pressed.“I hold a minor position in the administration side of government, it’s really very boring,” Mycroft smiled, knowing that that should shut her up.“What does that involve?” She asked again.“I really cannot speak more about it, I apologise greatly,” “Okay then, how did you and Greg meet?” She asked changing tact.  
“We work together mum, and then we just developed feelings for each other,” Greg spoke up.  
“Oh is this your new government job then?” HIs brother asked looking at Mycroft.  
“I read that the Nazi’s used an American film maker,” Greg’s father started talking about World War two and launched into a monologue that filled the rest of the dinner.   
“We should really be going,” Greg looked to his mother and pulled Mycroft out the door by his hand. Dinner had finished and they had done presents, with nothing for Mycroft, not that he minded. They had had some after dinner drinks and that was when Greg had decided that it was time to leave. Greg and Mycroft got into the dark car that pulled up inexplicably and Greg was dropped to his apartment.   
Greg closed the door noticing his bags were already in the living room. He decided that he would put them away the next day and went straight to bed. Greg wondered how it was that he had gotten through that whole event with little to no stress. Sure he had a bit of a blooming crush on Mycroft, but realistically it was nothing he couldn’t deal with. So Greg drifted off into quiet sleep.   
Mycroft lay on his bed having changed into silk pyjamas and stared at the ceiling. He truly felt that after that day he could ignore his feelings for his coworker, there didn’t have to be anything other than friendship between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Short chapter, apologies. I should have time later today to get started on the next chapter, sometime tonight so there should be a new chapter up at some point in the next week. I have kind of a hectic weekend, and a massive assignment due, but I am really loving telling this story.


	7. Chapter Four

Christmas was finally over and the New Year had passed without too much event, now finally work had gone back.   
“Morning,” Greg greeted, he had been put on duty in Mycroft’s office for the next week, there were only a few guards that Mycroft trusted and most of the others had taken time off across the New Year.   
“Good morning Greg,” Mycroft greeted. Greg sat in the plush armchair in the corner that gave him a perfect view of the whole room.  
Mycroft focused on the words filling his screen. The American’s careless slip up at the international meeting had given Mycroft far too much information. He was working on finding where the fuck his tapping of the office had ended up. He was starting to worry that one of the weirdoes that worked in tech had lost it. That is until it turned up the other day with a complete insincere apology from the only woman working in IT and Mycroft had chosen his most trusted employee to go through the entire thing and write a transcript for him. Now he just had to read through every goddamn word, which was more than he had signed up for.   
The American president was saying all sorts of ridiculous things, mostly stuff that didn’t make sense. However, there was the occasional confession, the occasional admission of American plans. Mycroft took note of everything that had been said on both sides, of at least everything that actually had any bearing on the outcome of current world politics.   
By one o’clock Mycroft had finally finished taking the notes and was about to start analysing it in relation to the information that they had regarding Russian plans and American plans in the last six months when Greg coughed and stood.  
“Sir, do you think maybe it is time for lunch,” Greg asked waving towards the clock.“Yeah, sure,” Mycroft nodded, he would be fine while Greg ducked down to the cafeteria.   
“Would you like me to bring something back for you?” Greg asked he knew that really Greg would get Anthea to reign him something.  
“Why don’t you just sit down and I’ll ask Anthea to bring something in,” Mycroft tapped quickly on his phone and leant back slightly.  
“You should really send all that stuff to someone else,” Greg spoke up.  
“Why?” Mycroft asked he was just about the only person who wouldn’t annoy Mycroft by telling him how to do his job.  
“Because Boris Johnson has a press conference in an hour,” Greg looked up from his newsfeed.  
“Fuck,” Mycroft sighed and changed his main monitor onto a filmed version of the set up for the press conference and a transcript of the speech, plus all of the approved questions and answers. This was going to be a long one.   
“Bring your chair over here, if I have to sit through this so do you,” Mycroft beckoned Greg forward.  
Greg leant over and lifted the chair to carry it towards Mycroft’s desk. Greg sat next to the man and read through the speech and questions.   
“Do we have an hour for lunch then?” Greg asked.  
“Yeah we should, I have this feed here” At this Mycroft pointed to a newsfeed following the comments and articles that the computer considered most important. Mostly it was tweets from people at this point.   
“Wow people do not like him,” Greg commented.  
“No no they do not,” Mycroft shrugged, people rarely liked Prime Ministers, but Johnson was particularly hated.   
“Do you like him?” Greg asked wondering what the great Mycroft’s personal political leanings were.“Shall we start with my vote to remain, or my sexuality,” Mycroft smiled tightly at the man beside him.“I’m going to take that as a no and be relieved,” Greg crossed his ankles over each other as Anthea entered with a tray of food.“Right, here’s lunch sir, now I’m going to go back to organising your life,” Anthea looked overworked, apparently she was getting married and her fiancé was being overly demanding.   
“Sorry about this Anthea, and thank you very much,” Greg replied.“Yes, very right Anthea, thank you,” Mycroft smiled at the woman. Greg noticed as his eyes crinkled at the smile, surprising for a man who seemed not to smile.   
“Thank you, sir,” Anthea left closing the door gently as she returned to her desk.  
“She really is the best secretary I have ever met,” Greg commented, she did everything for Mycroft.   
“Yes she is rather indispensable,” Mycroft agreed. The two ate their lunch, sandwiches, tea, she had even provided chocolate digestives.  
By the time they had finished eating and bitching about Sherlock’s latest escapades, Johnson was making his way on stage for the press statement.“Oh good heavens,” Mycroft sighed, Johnson’s hair was a complete mess.   
The man began spouting bullshit about migrants being the end of the economy and how he had all of the solutions. Mycroft began to take notes when the man said anything that he deemed controversial or of particular importance to Mycroft’s job.   
“How do you not control him?” Greg had been under the assumption that Mycroft was basically in control of the government, but this didn’t seem to be going the way he wanted at all.  
“Really I just let the Prime Ministers do what they like, the real work goes on here, besides I can fix most of the messes that they cause,” Mycroft looked a little exasperated as Johnson mentioned something about the EU and the Government.   
“Are we really going to leave the EU?” Greg had voted remain, of course, he had, and in all honesty, he wasn’t really sure what the nation was supposed to do without the help of the EU.   
“It does seem like it, I wouldn’t worry too much, you have a stable job,”  
“Blimey,”   
The next hour and a bit passed by at an excruciatingly slow pace, Greg didn’t know how anyone thought that this man was fit for the role. The room was warming slightly, Anthea had evidently thought to put on the heaters higher as the day wore on.   
“Finally,” Greg sighed as the press conference ended.“Yes, it was getting rather tedious,” Mycroft nodded.   
Greg looked at his watch, his shift would be over in a couple of hours and then he could go home and sleep. Greg sat back in his chair and watched Mycroft speeding through some document, typing quickly. Greg often wondered what Mycroft’s actual job was, no one had ever specified it for him and he had only ever heard anyone refer to him as Mycroft or Mr Holmes, no professional title.   
The afternoon got into full swing and Mycroft had several video conferences with people from around the world, they spoke in languages that Greg could not understand and were talking about things that he was fairly certain he wouldn’t understand even if they were speaking English.   
“Mycroft, that’s my shift I will see you tomorrow,” Greg waved to Mycroft as his replacement arrived to take over the evening shift. Part of the evening shift didn’t include Mycroft at all and the guard would just keep an eye on the presumably highly confidential documents in Mycroft’s office.   
“Goodbye Gregory,” Mycroft nodded.   
Greg left the building quickly and called a cab. His ride home wasn’t too long and it didn’t matter anyway, he didn’t have anything to do at home. His children had long moved out and Greg had given up on dating. It wasn’t that he was completely uninterested, really he was very interested, he just also didn’t have the energy to go out during the week, he had plans with John on Saturday.  
Mycroft would be in the office for at least a few more hours now. He had planned on going home and watching some Netflix, he had actually begun to get into watching television as a pass time, not that he would ever tell anyone. He had a few more emails to send and then he would hopefully be able to make it home in time to watch a part of the historical documentary he had been watching whilst still actually getting some sleep.   
Greg thanked the cab driver and hurried up the steps to his flat, the cold hair was making his ears and nose burn and he didn’t want to get sick when work had just started again. His flat was cold and the heaters would take a few hours to warm the whole place so Greg set the kettle to boil and changed into a hoodie he had stolen from a friend in university.   
The hot cup of tea warmed his insides and Greg flopped onto his couch, turning on the television to watch Brooklyn 99, his children had recommended it to him, a police comedy, and Greg found it funny enough to keep watching.   
Mycroft sat on the couch in his living room, wearing silk Pyjamas and turning up the heating. Mycroft wondered if something was supposed to have changed between him and Greg. They had pretended to be a couple, the rules of romantic comedies said that they should have fallen madly in love with each other, and yet nothing. Nothing had changed between the two of them, and Mycroft honestly, felt less like he would ever want to date Greg. Sure it had been a possibility in Mycroft’s mind before Christmas, perhaps it had been his want to form a meaning full relationship because of his brother's relationship with John or perhaps he had felt that it was Christmas and so he needed to fulfil some fantasy. Mycroft felt happy with the friendship he had formed, across his life he had never had a true friend. It was nice to have a friend who he felt comfortable with, especially when they didn’t randomly give him their number as Lady Smallwood had.   
Greg watched the show on the television, only half paying attention. He had thought that it might be weird going back to work after pretending to be his boss and best friends boyfriend for his family Christmas, but in all honesty, it had been fine, there was really nothing that had felt any different. Greg had never felt that kind of comfortable with someone without romantic feelings, but this was absolutely close and brilliant, but there seemed to be nothing romantic, nothing sexual between him and Mycroft.   
Greg’s apartment was finally beginning to warm and he let his eyes drift closed with the television playing in the background.   
Mycroft’s apartment was warm, his tea didn’t cool and he almost forgot that it was winter outside. The heater was warming his feet and he felt incredibly content. He wondered if he may never find ‘the one’ he was pretty happy as he was, with his own house and a best friend.   
Mycroft’s hair fell across his forehead as he finally let himself relax, leaning into the comfortable soft couch and pulling a blanket over himself to warm him. His brain felt fuzzy with the cosy warmth and the soft couch encompassing his body. He drifted off into a restful sleep, right there on the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all had better appreciate the fact that I wrote this in Australian summer. Summer has come unbearably early and it is already hot so wish me luck with not dying of heat stroke in a couple months. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter, if you want more I will absolutely write it I probably will write it anyway.   
> Also if anyone wants to beta this story for me I would love that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks a heap for reading this I will try to get a new chapter out soonish


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